Heating system



May 7, 1940. R ROYALL 4 HEATING SYSTEI Filed Jan. 14. 1939 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 Zia 76 Raga ll Am ATTORNEY May 7, 1940.

ROYALL HEATING sYsTmi 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 14. 1939 I 'IIIIIIIIl/III/I/II/ INVENTOR izalpfi Royall BY 5Q gym 4w: ATTORNEY Patented May 7, i940 UNITED; STATES PATENT- OFFlCE,

Ralph Royall, New York, Y. Application January 14, 1939, Serial No. 251L893 Claims.

vention is particularly applicable to residential;

houses, heated by steam or hot water radiators or convectors, although it may be applied to other types of buildings and to other methods of heating air.

One object of this invention is to eliminate from the rooms to be heated the use of radiators, convectors or -other devices for heating the air. Such devices are usually unsightly and cause waste of space. v

A further object is to eliminate the use of steam or hot water piping throughout the building to be heated and leading from'the rooms to be heated to and from the heating unit located in the cellar or in some other part of the premises. Pipes running throughout the house for heating purposes are expensive to install.

A further object is to provide a closed circuit for each room so that the air may be circulated and recirculated in each room independently of other. rooms.

Another object is to provide, in each closed circuit, heating means for the air which can be controlled separately for each room independently of other rooms, said heating means being placed outside of the room in a position in the circuit to induce circulation and recirculation of air in the room, and said heating means permitting control of the temperature of the air to the room without varying the amount of air circulated and recirculated.

Still another object is to provide, in each closed circuit, means for humidifying the heated air, by which means the humidity can be controlled separately for each room independently of other rooms.

The invention further provides in each closed circuit, means for introducing fresh air, by which means the extent of fresh air can be controlled separately for each room independently of other rooms.

Another object is to provide, in each closed circuit, means for discharging used or. foul air, by which means the extent oi used air discharged can be controlled separately for each room independently of other rooms.

The invention also provides, in each closed circuit, means for hand or automatic control in each room. independent of other rooms, so that the air circulated and recirculated in that room may be controlled independently for the amount of air circulated and recirculated, independently for the temperature of the air, independently for the humidity of the air, independently for the amount of fresh air admitted, and independently for the amount of foul air discharged.

An additional object is to permit greater freedom of choice as to size, dimensions or design of the radiator or'convector to be employed in heating the air for any particular room without said radiator occupying space in said room, and

thus have itaccord accurately with the requirements of the particular room to be heated.

The invention also comprises a novel duct unit connecting the air inlet and outlet passages for a room and containing means for heating the air. Said duct may also contain humidifying means and various air controls as hereinafter noted.

Other features and advantagesof the invention will be hereinafter described and claimed.

My method for heating and conditioning air may be briefly outlined as follows:

A passage or flue for heated air, which may also be conditioned air, is made from the cellar to each room, preferably by use of the space within the walls in the rooms and between the studding or vertical beams of the house, with a passage or fine throughor around each cross-beam which would interfere with suchpassage or flue. Each such passage may use only structural members and walls forming part of the house or may have special ducts between the walls to carry the heated air. Such passages may or may not be insulated, as desired. The opening of each such passage into a room may be made, as desired,

with or without control of the opening. The opening of each such passage into a. room may be at any height desired and in any location desired.

Another similar passage may in a similar manner lead from each room to the cellar to carry the heated air used in the room back to the cellar.

The opening into the room of such passage may be of any height desired and in any location desired. Openings of the passages carrying heated air into each room are preferably located at high points in the wall while openings of passages carrying air from each room are preferably located at low points in the wall. Both passages may be located adjacent to. each other, in an inside partition wall and opposite to a window. The passages to and from a room are connected together by a duct in the cellar to make a closed circuit. Any two passages may be employed from the room to the cellar for the purpose of the one to convey the heated air to the room and of the other to carry the air from the room back to the cellar. More than one passage maybe used tomary or desired manner.

for admitting hot air into the room, and more than one passage may be used for discharging cooled air from the room.

In each duct there is inserted a radiator, convector or other similar device for heating the air and causing the circulation of the air through the passage to the room to be heated and back through the other passage, such duct containing the radiator, convector or other device to constitute part of a closed circuit with the room to be heated. Devices such as water sprays or other apparatus may be put in each duct for humiditying or conditioning the air in each closed circuit,

. and devices may be put in each duct for the admission of the proper percentage of fresh air into the circuit and discharging excess air. Controls, direct or through by-passes, using such controls as dampers, valves or other devices may be put in each duct for separately regulating the degree 01' heat or humidity.

One or more heat generator units placed in the cellar or any other convenient spot and of any known design may be used to supply hot water or steam or other fluid or vapor to each radiator or convector or other similar device in each duct by a common form of pipe connection with a return line to the heat generator unit, and any .as illustrated in the following drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in vertical section illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on a scale enlarged from that of Fig. '1; of a duct connecting an air inlet and return passage of one of the rooms, said section being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of said connecting duct taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view illustrating an arrangement of rooms and air passages for the practise of the invention.

Referring tb the drawings, the reference characters A, B, C, and D designate rooms in a house in conjunction with which the invention is 11- lustrated; rooms A and C being on the first floor and rooms B and D on an upper floor. to the cellar. Rooms A and C are separated by a partition F and rooms B and D by partition.

G. An embodiment of the invention will be described particularly in conjunction with rooms A, B, and C by way of illustration.

At la, lb, and le there are shown passages for the inlet of hot air to the respective rooms A, B, and C. While these passages may consist of special ducts mounted within the walls, they are shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 as formed by the studding 2 and walls 3 and 4. In'other words, in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, said passages are shown as comprising the space between adjacent studs 2 and the walls 3 and 4 on opposite sides of said studs. Said walls may be formed of lath and plaster, or plaster board, or in any other cus- All horizontal crosspieces which would interfere with said passages are cut away as indicated at 5a, 5b, and 50.

In the walls 4, preferably near the ceilings of the rooms to be heated, there are shown registers 3a, 3b, and 3c, in communication with the respective'passages la, lb, and lo. Said registers may be of any desired form, and any register may be located where desired for leading heated air to the room. The registers may be controlled in any suitable way to vary the amount of air delivered thereby to the respective rooms,

' stead of from the control panels.

than in Fig. 1.

E refers for which purpose each register may have mov- At Illa, lllb and lllc there are shown passages for the discharge of cooled air from the rooms to the cellar. These passages maybe formed in the same way as the passages .la, lb, and la. Near the floor of each room is an air register Ila, llb, l lc, which, like the registers 6a, 6b and 60, may have movable vanes.

shown, may be operated by hand directly in It will beevident that by operating the controls of the air registers separately or together, any amount of air up to the maximum available may be allowed to circulate into and from each room independently of air circulation in any other-room.

The outlet passages Illa, 10b and lllc, like the inlet passages la, lb, and la, extend into the cellar as shown.

Each inlet and outlet passage for a room is in communication with a cross-connecting duct unit in the cellar. Thus, where the passages la. and lOa enter the cellar there is inserted a cross-connecting duct l3a. A similar duct l3b connects the passages lb and lob; while the passages lc and I00 are likewise connected by duct l3c. Since said ducts l3a, l3b and l3c are the same in construction, a description of the duct l3b willbe sufllcient. Reference may be had, in this connection, to Figs. 2 and 3, in which said connecting duct l3b is shown on a larger scale Said duct l3b may, as shown, comprise a casing of sheet metal or other suitable material, which casing includes front and rear walls ll and I5, joined by side walls l6 and H. A partition wall l8 also extends between the walls I and IS. The wall I5 is shorter than the wall It and connects at its upper edge with a top wall l3 which-extends between the walls l1 and I3. The inner edge of the top wall l9, terminates'short of the wall M, as shown in Fig. 3, and from said inner edge of wall l9 there extends upwardly a wall or plate 20, which is spaced from wall ll an extent substantially equal to the distance between the walls- 3 and! of the passage lb. An angle plate 2| secured to the partition l3 and comprising horizontal and vertical portions 2|,

2|" is adapted to engage the inner face of the beam 22 underlying one of the studs 2,"at the same time that the plate I! engages the opposite The registers lla,

- llb, llc, when located within hand reach as with the plates 20 and '2l form a neck or channel from the casing which is adapted to enter the air inlet passage lb with a snug fit and-to provide communication between said passage and the portion of the caslng between wall I! and partition l8. The engagement of the hori-.

as well as the associated beam 22'. Similarly,"

the plate 20 is cutaway above the horizontal portion 2i of the angle plate 2| and to the left (as viewed in Fig. 2) of the vertical portion 2!" of said angle plate, to accommodate said beams 22, 22'. A top wall It (Fig. 2) in line with wal I 0 projects inwardly from wall IE to the same extent as wall l9 and extends between the partition l8 and the casing side wall. 16. From. the inner edge of said wall 19', a plate 20' similar to plate 20, extends upwardly across the space between the upper portions l5, l8 of wall i6 and partition i8. Said plate 20' is spaced from the oppositeportion ll of wall M to the same extent that plate 20 is spaced from wall It, so that said plate 20 and the portion H of wall It may enter the passage llib. At the same time, the upper portions l6, l8, respectively of the wall It and partition l8 engage snugly the opposite inner faces of the'beams 22' and 2d as shown in Fig. 2. The aforesaid wall portions ll, l6, l8, and plate 20' thus constitute a neck or channel for fitting snugly into the air outlet passage lob and providing communication between the latter and the space within the casing between the wall it and partition i8.

A bottom plate extends from wall I! and terminates at one end in linewith and below the partition l8, said plate 25 also extending between the corresponding portions of walls It and H5; The partition I8 terminates at its lower end substantially above said bottom plate 25, thereby providing an opening for communication between the compartments of the casing on opposite sides of said partition. The wall It extends slightly below the wall i I, as do also the portions of plates l4 and I! between wall l6 and partition l8; and between said wall '5 and associated portions of walls H and i5 there extends a bottom plate 26. A pivoted damper 21 extends between walls It and I5 and across the opening between the bottom plates 25 and 28 for a purpose hereinafter mentioned.

The various elements of the casing above'described may be united in any suitable way as by welding or otherwise. Preferably, however, the wall or plate i5 is removable, for which purpose it may be flanged as indicatedat I5, '5", and may be provided with a handle 28.

The duct or casing i3b may be positively fastened in place by any suitable means, such as by angle brackets l3, l3 welded or otherwise secured to said duct and bolted to the respective beams 23, 2Q.

Means are provided in the casing aforesaid for heating the air'for the passage lb; and means may also be provided in said casing for humidifying said air. The humidifying means may take any convenient form and may, for example, be constructed as follows:

Mounted in the upper portion of the space between partition i8 and wall It is a water pan 29, which may conveniently be supported on a bracket 30 suitably secured to said partition and that heated air may be passed through either of said passages to the passage lb, or partly through passage 3| and partly through passage 32. Damper 33 is connected to a wire 35 leading to a hand lever on the control panel 82).

Below said pan 29, and separated therefrom, is a water pan 36, on a bracket 31 secured to wall i1 and partition la; the space between said pans 29 and 36 being controlled by said damper 23.

Within the pan 28 are short tubes 38, prefer:

ably closely spaced and arranged in staggered formation, and an overflow tube 39. All of'said tubes are open at both top and bottom. Strips lilof wicking or other suitable absorbent material are stuffed through the tubes 38, so that their upper ends are immersed in the water in the pan 29 and their lower ends extend into the pan 38. The pan 29 is supplied with water by pipe 4i and branch pipe 42.

The strips 40 of absorbent material absorb water from said pan and convey it into the pan 36. If the water leyel in pan 29 rises over the top of the tube 39 the excess flows directly through said tube and is received by said pan 38. The pan 3t is provided with an outlet pipe 43 which is connected with a pipe 54 that is in com munication with a tank as (Fig. 1) containing a float 48. The latter, through any conventional means, such as rod 6'? and lever 48, operates a .valve 48 in the pipe 50-, connected to the city water line. Said pipe 50 is in turn connected beyond valve w, as shown in Fig. 1, to the pipe M through which water is supplied to the pan 29.

When the water level in pan 3% falls below the desired height, the float as likewise falls and opens the valve 59, sending city water into the pan 29, whence it is supplied to min at by absorption by the material M, or by running down this material through the short tubes 38, or by overflowing through the overflow tube 39. The water level in the pan 3% thus rises until it reaches such height 'as to cause the float 46 to close the valve 69. By this arrangement air when passing through passage 3| travels past the wet absorbent material all and becomes humidified. Air passing through passage 32 is not humidified and by mixing the air in varying quantities from passages 3| and 32 humidity control can be obtained through use of damper 38.

The means for heating the air in the connecting duct above described and for thereby inducing circulation and recirculation of air through the passages lb and lb, may be of any suitable form and may utilize any desired heating medium such as gas, electricity, steam, or hot water. For example, the heating means take the form of a radiator or convector unit 5|, comprising a series of coils 52 provided with metal flns 53. Said unit 5! is suitably mounted in a space between wall l5 and a partition 54, providing a passage 55 for the travel of air through the convector unit, and another passage 56 for air to travel to the side of said unit without being heated thereby. A pivoted damper 51 controls said passages, an arm 58 of said damper being connected by a wire 58 to a hand lever on the control panel 921 for manipulation as desired.

Through operation of said damper 51, cooled air received from passage lllb may be passed through passage 58 without heating or sent through passage 55 to be heated, or may be passed partly through passage 55 and partly through passage 58, thereby changing the air temperature without using the air register controls to change the amount of air circulated in the room. I

In the present embodiment the convector unit I] is supplied with steam from a pipe 68, through branch pipe 6!. A valve 62 in said pipe Si is operable to control the entrance of steam to thecoils of said convector, said valve being actuated by a lever through a wire 64 connected to a hand lever on panel 9b. The return of said valve to closed position when wire 64 is released may be insured, if desired, by a spring (not shown) con- The connecting ducts l3a.a nd l8c.are similar in construction to that above described in conjunction with the duct I812. Each of said ducts. contains a convector, a humidifying means, and the valves and dampers previously described. The same reference numerals designate similar parts in'all of the units i8a, I81), and I80 aforesaid. In this connection it may be noted that the pipe 4| supplies water to the pans 29 in all.

of said units, and that eachof the pans 88 is connected to the piping 44 in which the float tank 45 is inserted. Thus, in the embodiment here described, the water level in all of the pans 36 is the same, and the'float 46 controls the supply of water to all of the pans 29, and thence to the pans 36. Also, the pipe 68 supplies steam to all of the convector units 5|, while the pipe 66 receives condensate from all of said units. Said pipes 60 and 86 are shown connected to a suitable source of heat supply. such as the horizontal tubular boiler 61 of a steam generatingfurnace. Water may be supplied to said boiler from the city-supply pipe 50 through pipe 68, under control of valve 69. A blow down valve to city drain I8 through pipe II is shown at 12. 13 designates the return drain piping from the convector units 5I to the boiler, entering the latter below the water line. A check valve in said return drain piping is indicated at 14. The furnace is indicated as of the oil-fired type, and as supplied with oil through valve 15 in piping 18 leading to an oil tank outside the house. The

boiler may include the usual gage glass 11 and safety-valve 18, as well as a pipe 19 leading to the pipe 68 for supplying steam to the convectors 5|. An air relief valve in the pipe 68 may be provided as shown at 80, while a hand valve 19' may control the supply of steam'from the boiler through the pipe I9. If continuously running water is desired for the humidifiers, the tank' 45 may, as shownybe connected through valve 8i and pipe line 82, with the city drain 10.

The products of combustion from the furnace may be passed through the uptake 88 to the chimney 84, which may be provided with a cleaning door 85 A pipe 86, which leads from the cellar to the outside air is connected to the space 81 in each of the ducts l8a, i8b, I8c, as, for example, by

a branch pipe 86'. In each of said ducts there" is provided a pivoted damper 88 for controlling the opening of passage 81 and hence the amount of fresh air which can enter the duct. Said damper in each unit is controlled by wire 88 leading to a lever on the control panel associated with said unit.

The bottom damper 21 previously noted is controlled in each unit bva wire 90 passing around suitable pulleys 9| and extending to a corresponding lever on the associated control panel.

By'pulling on the wire 90 of any of the ducts l3a, l8b, or i8c, the corresponding damper 21 may be opened to any desired degree, discharging used air either through piping to the outside air.

or directly into the cellar where it will be absorbed by the heat generating unit. By leaving the wire 80 loose, the damper 21 will act as a swinging check valve,'allowing excess air in the closed circuit to escape at any time and closing if air tends to rise from the cellar into the duct which carries said damper. I

By locating a convector 5i in each of the ducts l8a, I81), I80, for the respective rooms, the necessity for any radiators in the rooms is avoided.

The same applies to the humidifying apparatus.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that I provide separate means for each room for circulating ai'r independently of other rooms,

any room may further be controlled independent-' ly of other rooms by operating the damper 81 through wire 59 for that room. Through the wire 85 connected to damper 88, the humidity of the air supplied to any room may be controlled as desired, irrespective of the air for other rooms. The damper 88, controlled through wire 88, enables the input of fresh'air' to be regulated separately and independently for each room. And through wire 90 and damper 21 the outlet of used air for each room may be separately and independently controlled. I

To summarize, it will be apparent that I have provided a-closed circuit foreach room for circulating and recirculating air for that room ir-,

respective of other rooms. Also, I have provided in each room means independent of other rooms, and independent of each other, for controlling (1) the amount of air circulated and recirculated in each room; (2) the temperature of air circulated and recirculated in each room: (3) the humidity of air circulated and recirculated in each room; (4) the input of fresh air circulated and reclrculated'in each room; and (5) the out-'- let of used air from each room. The desired characteristics of the air for any room may thus be accurately and expeditiously obtained without influencing, or being influenced by, the air supplied to other rooms. At the same time these objects are achieved. without the provision of radiators, convectors, or humidifiers in the rooms themselves; and without the necessity of providing pipes running throughout. the house to radiators or convectors in the various rooms thereof.

It will of course be understood that the other rooms of the house may likewise be each pro-*- passage from room Dis shown at Id, and a portion of the outlet register at ild.

Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically in horizontal section the adjoining rooms A and C together with the air inlet passages la and lo and the outlet registers Ila and Ho, as well as the inlet and outlet passages l b andv lllb, respectively, which lead to the upper room B of Figure 1. A portion of outlet passage l'lld which leads to room D isalso shown. As previously noted, said passages to the various rooms may either be formed as spaces between adjacent vertical studs and the walls on opposite sides thereof, or may consist of special ducts of metal or other suitable mate rial. Said passages may, of course, if desired, be insulated by suitable non-heat-conducting mav terial, as may also the connecting duct units Ila,

llb, and lJc.

It will further be clear that, if desired, two adjacent rooms having a common partition wall may be supplied with air from a common duct in the cellar having a single radiator or convector and/or humidifier, said duct connecting an air inlet and an air outlet passage in the common partition wall, the air inlet passage having an opening into each room and the air outlet passage also having an opening from each room. Such arrangement may be employed when the same temperature and humidity conditions are to prevail in said adjacent rooms. At the same time it should be noted that the embodiment illustrated-presents distinct advantages over the modification, above described, since said illustrated embodiment enables the air conditions for each room to be controlled expeditiously and precisely without being affected by conditions in another room, so that the optimum conditions for any particular room may be attained with particular accuracy and facility.

It will be apparent that,- if desired, a blower utilized without forced draft for the circulation and recirculation of air through the passages and room connected thereto. In either case the heated air issues from the inlet register 6a, 6b

or 60, and spreads therefrom through the room.

while the cooled air passes downwardly and thence into the outlet duct Ila, lllb, or llc into.

the passage between the walls I. and II of the associated duct lib, whence it travels into the compartment of said duct which contains the heating unit and then rises into and through the inlet passage la, lb, or lc.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of. limitation, and I have no intention, in the responding rooms.

use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

The term "basement employed in the ensuingclaims refers to any space beneath the main or primary floor structure of the building.

I claim:

1. In a system for heating a plurality of rooms in a building; a plurality of vertically extending channel means for the ascent of heated air, one

' for each of said plurality of I rooms; a plurality of vertically extending channel means for the descent of cooled air, one for each of said plurality of rooms; a plurality of cross-connecting ducts in the basement of the building, each of said ducts connecting the heated and cooled air channels of a corresponding room and completing a circuit for circulation and recirculation of air through the room; a plurality of heating units, one in each of said ducts for heating the air therein and inducing circulation of air through the channel means connected to said duct; a source of heat supply common to said heatingunits and connected thereto; and means .connected to each of said heating units for confor controlling each of said humidifying means,-

and means mounted in said rooms and connected to the controlling means of the respective humidii'ying means for enabling operation of the respective controlling means from the corresponding rooms. 4. A heat supply'system as defined by claim 1, in combination with means cooperating with each of said ducts for controlling the admission of fresh air thereto, and means mounted in said rooms and connected to the controlling means of the respective ducts for enabling operation of the respective controlling means from the corresponding' rooms.

5. A heat supply system as defined by claim 1, in combination with means cooperating with each of said ducts for controlling the escape of used air therefrom, and means mounted in said rooms and connected to the controlling means of the respective ducts for enabling operation of the respective controlling means from the cor- RALPH ROYALL. 

